Waikiki Meatballs

I loved this dinner!

1 ½ lbs ground beef
2/3 cup cornbread crumbs or GF oatmeal (i made cornbread crumbs from my cornbread muffins, crumbled it and broiled them stirring about every 4-5 minutes until crisp.  I had extra and froze them.)
1/3 cup minced onion
1 egg
1 ½ tsp. salt
¼ tsp. ginger
¼ cup milk
1 Tbsp. oil
2 Tbsp. cornstarch
½ cup packed brown sugar
1 can pineapple tidbits, drained (reserve juice) I like chunks instead
1/3 cup vinegar
1 Tbsp soy sauce
1/3 cup chopped green bell pepper (I used canned chilies because I didn't have a pepper)
Cooked white rice

Mix meat, crumbs, onion, egg, salt, ginger and milk.  Shape into little balls.  Heat oil in saucepan; brown and cook meatballs; remove and keep warm.  Drain liquid from skillet.  Mix cornstarch and sugar.  Stir in pineapple juice, vinegar and soy sauce until smooth.  Pour into skillet; cook over medium heat, stirring constantly, until mixture thickens and boils.  Boil and stir 1 minute.  Add meatballs, pineapple and green peppers.  Heat through.  Serve over rice.

Easy Chicken Potato Soup

This soup is really easy because it calls for chicken from a can (although it would be better with cooked chicken).  I really enjoyed it.  And of course, I LOVE LEFTOVERS for lunch and soup makes great leftovers.

2 T butter
1 small onion
2-3 stalks celery, chopped
3-4 carrots, sliced
4 medium potatoes, diced
1 bay leaf
8 c broth
8 t chicken bullion
salt and pepper to taste
I also added ground sage, thyme, garlic powder, and a little basil starting with 1/4 t of each, until I liked the flavor
2 cans cooked chicken, drained

Instead of all the water and seasonings you could use your favorite chicken broth and salt and pepper to taste.

1.  Saute onion and celery in butter until soft.

2.  Add remaining ingredients except chicken.  Cooked for 12-15 minutes depending on how soft you like your veggies.

3.  Add chicken and heat until warm.  Serve with your favorite crackers or bread.

Thai Green Curry

Bo and I LOVE, LOVE, LOVE Thai food.  There are a few things I can get at a restaurant still.  But, I have missed many others.  Mostly the Thai Fried Rice (if anyone has a recipe I would love it).  But, I just found an easy way to make the Green Curry.  It is GREAT!  It almost tastes like the restaurant version.  If you haven't cooked Thai Food before you'll have to buy some new ingredients.  But, they last for a long time and you get a lot out of them.

Thai Green Curry

1 T Green Curry Paste (I use the Thai Kitchen)
1 14 oz can coconut milk
1 large Chicken breast, cut into pieces
1 T fish sauce to cook chicken in
2 T fish sauce (add the savory flavor)
2-3 T brown sugar
1/4 c bamboo shoots
1/2 to 1 red pepper, cut into small slices
1/2 c eggplant (I don't like eggplant so it's not in mine I used 1 avg size carrot.)
1/3 c chicken stock

Mix curry paste and coconut milk in a medium size saucepan on medium heat  for 5 minutes.

Add everything except the chicken.  Simmer for 10 minutes, stirring occasionally.

While that simmers cook chicken in oil in a separate pan.  When veggies are cooked add chicken.  Garnish with fresh basil, if desired.  Serve over white rice.

I double this recipe for our family of 7.

Chicken Salad

Okay, I love chicken salad sandwiches.  Of course they are a little different now that I can no longer have yummy crescent rolls.  But, I ate them with crackers.  Lettuce leaves would also be great!  This recipe is delicious!!!

·                 4 cups of cooked chicken breasts, shredded

·                 1 or 2 stalks celery, chopped- about 3/4 cup

·                 1-2 green onions, chopped

·                 1/2 cup seedless grapes, halves

·                 3/4 cup Mayo (I used Best Foods)

·                 1/2 t lawry's seasoning salt

·                 1/4 t black pepper or to taste

Mix mayo, salt, pepper, grapes, celery and onions.  Add chicken.  Chill for at least one hour before serving. It tastes much better if allowed to chill overnight.

Serve on toasted bread, croissants, or lettuce leaves. This easy chicken salad recipe also tastes great in pita pockets or hollowed tomato cups. Also try different breads such as Ciabatta or raisin bread.

Mexican Lasagna

This may not sound or look really appealing, but it is great!  My husband and kids all loved it!!  I served it with plain romaine lettuce.

12 corn tortillas
1large can enchilada sauce (I like green)
1 pkg cream cheese (next time I'll try with lowfat to make it a little healthier)
2 cups Monterrey Jack cheese
1/4 c cilantro
1 med onion, chopped
2-3 cups cooked, shredded chicken (I boiled mine and seasoned it with salt, pepper, and garlic powder.)

Heat cream cheese in microwave about 30 seconds (until soft) and mix with 1 1/2 cup of Monterrey Jack cheese, onion, and cilantro.  Mix in chicken.

Grease 9x13 pan and pour about half a can of enchilada sauce in bottom.  Coat four tortillas in remaining enchilada sauce and place in pan.  Overlap if necessary.  Spread half of chicken mixture over tortillas.  Repeat with four more tortillas dipped in sauce and spread remaining chicken mixture across.  Dip last four tortillas and cover chicken mixture.  Pour on remaining sauce and 1/2 cup of cheese. ( I also sprinkled a little cilantro on top.)

Bake at 350 degrees for 30 minutes.

Chinese Fried Rice

I have always loved fried rice.  This recipe is very YUMMY!

1 to 1 1/2 lbs of chicken
soy sauce
1 c rice, cooked and cooled (3 c cooked)
1 small onion
2 medium carrots
3/4 c frozen peas
3 eggs
1/2 stick butter
1 t garlic powder

Cut chicken into chunks and marinate in soy sauce (enough to coat chicken) for a couple of hours.  Cook eggs and refrigerate until ready to use.

Cook chicken.  Add onion, carrots, peas, cooled rice, and eggs.

Melt butter and mix with garlic powder.  Pour over rice mixture until evenly coated.  Add more soy sauce to taste, if desired.

3 Bean Chili

This chili is pretty darn good and very easy to make. And it's great for leftovers!

2 pounds ground turkey or beef (I used turkey)
1 large onion
3 cloves garlic, minced
1 chopped green pepper
3 15 oz cans tomato sauce
2 16 oz cans diced tomato
2 cans kidney beans, drained
1 can pinto beans, drained
1 can black beans, drained
2 T chili powder
2 t dried oregano
1 t cumin

I also like to add cayenne pepper to spice it up. I have to do it to my own bowl because it's too much for the kids. (If you want to make a smaller recipe, just use 2 cans kidney beans and cut everything else in half)

General Tso's Chicken (Spicy)

If you like spicy food, this one is delicious!  Bo LOVED it.

1 1/2 to 2 lbs of chicken cut into chunks
egg
corn starch
1 bag broccoli 


Sauce:
11/2 t chicken bullion
4 T sugar
6 T soy sauce
2 T vinegar
2 t garlic powder
1 t ginger
2-4 t red pepper flakes (I did 4 this time.  It was too hot for me but Bo liked it.  Next time, 3)

Warm a about 6 tablespoons of oil in frying pan.  Dip chicken in egg and then into cornstarch.  Place in pan and brown chicken on both sides. Steam broccoli and make sauce while browning chicken.  Add sauce when chicken is browned and simmer until chicken is done. Serve over rice.  

Sweet Pork Tacos

These are delicious!  One of my new favorites and it's simple.  Great for parties!

What you need:
2 lbs or pork (roast or boneless ribs)
1/3 c of brown sugar
1 small can of green enchilada sauce
2 cans black beans
1 cup of rice, cooked
2 avacados (guacamole is also awesome!)
2 tomoatoes (homemade salsa is good too I was going for an easy dinner)
sour cream

Place pork in crock pot on low and add brown sugar an hour later.  Cook about 5 more hours and shred (or cook until it is easy to shred). Add enchilada sauce and cook until heated through again (about 30 mins).

Place beans in a food processor or blender to mush them and heat them in microwave.  Season to taste with salt and pepper. (Or just buy black refried beans.)

Dice tomatoes and avacados

Serve with hot corn tortillas.

South of the Border Meatloaf

I tried my best to get a picture that makes meatloaf look tasty, but I don't know if that's possible.  I love meatloaf.  It is yummy and very easy to make.  This one is made with tortilla chips.

1 to 1 1/2 lbs of ground beef
1 egg
2/3 c finely crushed tortilla chips
1 small onion
1/2 green bell pepper (I didn't have a green bell pepper and used small can of green chilies instead.)
1/2 c Ketchup
1 1/4 c cheese

Mix all ingredients except beef and 1/2 cup cheese . (I like to mix mine in the bread pan; it makes one less bowl for washing.)  Then mix in beef.  Bake at 350 degrees for 30 minutes.  Add cheese and bake about 15 -20 minutes more.

Simple Pulled Pork Sandwiches

I love to make this on a day that I know I won't be home around dinner time.

1 1/2 to 2 lbs Pork (a roast or country style boneless ribs work well)
1 Packet of dry onion soup mix
OR

4 t beef boullin

6 t dried onion flakes

1 t onion powder

1/2 t garlic powder

Place pork in crock pot on low (don't add water).  Once juices form in bottom add the onion soup or all the other ingredients. Cook about 8 hours stirring occasionally and shred with forks.  It is actually great with cornbread if you don't like other breads.  It's also really good topped with BBQ or Horseradish.

(These ingredients are actually a recipe from scratch for dry onion soup mix.  You can use it to replace onion soup mix in any recipe.)

Sweet N Sour Chicken

This is my favorite meal

4 chicken breast halves
1 egg, beaten
cornstarch

Sauce:
3/4 c sugar
1/3 c vinegar
1/2 t garlic powder
4 T ketchup
1 T soy sauce

Cut chicken into strips.  Warm a few tablespoons of oil in frying pan.  Dip chicken in egg and then into cornstarch.  Place in pan and brown chicken on both sides.  Make sauce while browning chicken.  Add sauce when chicken is browned and simmer until chicken is done. Serve over rice.

Taco Soup

1 lb. hamburger ( I like to use ground turkey)
1 small onion, chopped
16 oz. bag of frozen corn (or two cans of corn, undrained)
2, 8 oz. cans tomato sauce
1, 14 oz. can diced tomatoes
1 can pinto beans with liquid
1 can black beans with liquid
1 can kidney beans with liquid
4 oz. can diced green chilies
1 can refried beans (optional)
3 Tbs. McCormick taco seasoning

Cook hamburger with onion. Drain grease.

In a large soup pot, combine hamburger with all the other ingredients and heat through.
Taste it and if you want it to be spicier, add more taco seasoning. Great for crock pot too (just cook meat and add ingredients cook on low about 5-6 hours). Top with sour cream and cheese.  I like to dip or mix crushed tortilla chips in it too.

Spicy Chicken and Rice

I know it doesn't look awesome, but this is really good.  It is very simple with just 4 ingredients.  I also use it to fill tacos or enchiladas too.

5 chicken breast halves
1 bottle salsa
1 small tub of sour cream
2 c rice (cooked); or eat on corn tortillas

Place chicken in crock pot and pour 3/4 of the salsa on top.  Cook until chicken is tender enough to shred (about 5 hours).  Drain excess juice if there is any.  Add remaining salsa and sour cream (I add less, it just depends on how creamy you like it).  Cook until hot again 30-45 min.